Home service businesses win or lose on a few searches a day. When a furnace dies in January or a basement floods in April, homeowners search, call the first two or three companies they trust and book whoever answers. “Plumber near me” draws about 49,500 searches a month in Canada, “electrician near me” about 27,100 and “emergency plumber” averages about US$27 per click. This guide covers the full marketing system for Canadian trades in one place: local SEO, Local Services Ads, Google Ads, your website, reviews, seasonality and follow up, with links to deeper guides for each trade.
Search demand and cost by trade
| Search | Monthly searches in Canada | Average CPC (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| plumber near me | 49,500 | 16.40 |
| electrician near me | 27,100 | 8.21 |
| pest control near me | 14,800 | 5.91 |
| movers near me | 14,800 | 11.02 |
| hvac near me | 12,100 | 9.19 |
| roofer near me | 9,900 | 7.93 |
| window replacement | 9,900 | 24.33 |
| contractor near me | 9,900 | 6.73 |
| air conditioner repair near me | 8,100 | 18.22 |
| landscaping near me | 8,100 | 4.17 |
| cleaning services near me | 8,100 | 4.38 |
| emergency plumber | 6,600 | 27.17 |
| garage door repair near me | 6,600 | 17.98 |
| painters near me | 6,600 | 11.98 |
| furnace repair near me | 5,400 | 14.26 |
| handyman near me | 5,400 | 5.41 |
| basement renovation | 2,900 | 20.16 |
We plan marketing around the rules and buying habits of regulated and local service industries.
Urgent repair searches cost more per click than planned project searches, because the job is booked within hours.
1. Win the map pack with your Google Business Profile
For most trades, the map pack brings more calls than any other source. To compete:
- Choose the most specific primary category, such as “Plumber” or “HVAC contractor”, and add each service.
- Set your service areas accurately. Hide your address if customers do not visit you.
- Upload real photos of your team, trucks and finished jobs every month.
- Keep hours accurate, and show 24 hour service only if someone really answers.
- Ask every happy customer for a review on the day the job is done.
See our local citations guide and how to win near me searches.
2. Run Local Services Ads
Google Local Services Ads appear at the very top of many trade searches and charge per lead, not per click. In October 2025 Google replaced the Google Guaranteed and Google Screened badges with a single Google Verified badge. Screening can include licences, insurance and background checks, depending on the trade and location. Read our full guide to Local Services Ads in Canada, or let us run them through our Local Services Ads management.
3. Use Google Ads for the jobs you want most
- Separate campaigns for emergency repairs, installs and replacements, and maintenance plans.
- Location targeting that matches where your trucks can get to profitably.
- Ad schedules that match when you can answer the phone.
- Negative keywords for jobs, training, DIY and parts searches.
- Call tracking, with booked jobs imported back into Google Ads.
See how much Google Ads costs and Google Ads cost per click by industry in Canada.
4. Build a website that books jobs
| Must have | Why |
|---|---|
| Click to call button on every page | Most urgent searches happen on phones |
| One page per service | Each service can rank and convert on its own |
| Service area pages with real local detail | Wins searches in each city you cover |
| Licences, insurance and warranties shown clearly | Answers the trust question before the call |
| Online booking or a quote request form | Captures customers who search after hours |
| Financing and rebate information where relevant | Helps homeowners say yes to bigger jobs |
Show licences where your trade requires them, such as Electrical Safety Authority licensing for electrical contractors and TSSA certification for gas technicians in Ontario. See our plumbing website design and construction website design, and read what a construction website should do for leads.
5. Plan for the seasons
Most trades are seasonal in Canada. HVAC peaks with the first cold snap and the first heat wave, roofing and landscaping run spring to fall, and snow removal and furnace repair spike in winter. Shift ad budgets ahead of each peak, publish seasonal content a month before it is needed, and use slow months to sell maintenance plans.
6. Answer every call and follow up every quote
Missed calls are the biggest leak in most home service businesses. Use call tracking to see how many go unanswered, add after hours answering or an AI receptionist, and follow up every unsold quote within days. A field service CRM keeps this consistent. See our HVAC CRM, roofing CRM and landscaping CRM services.
7. Turn customers into repeat business
- Maintenance plans with reminders for furnace, AC and water heater servicing.
- Seasonal email and text reminders, sent with consent under CASL.
- Referral thank yous for customers who send neighbours your way.
Guides and services by trade
- HVAC: HVAC marketing, HVAC SEO and HVAC leads
- Plumbing: advertising for plumbers and plumbing leads
- Roofing: roofing SEO, roofing marketing and roofing leads
- Construction and renovation: construction marketing, SEO for contractors and construction leads
- Landscaping: landscaping marketing
- Garage doors: garage door marketing
- Cleaning: commercial cleaning leads
- Moving: commercial moving leads
Not sure where to start? See all the industries we serve.
Deeper guides by trade: the HVAC seasonal playbook, emergency plumbing and drain marketing and renovation and window contractor marketing.
More trade guides: garage doors, moving companies, roofing, electricians, painters, pest control, landscaping and snow removal, commercial cleaning and solar installers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best marketing for home service businesses?
A strong Google Business Profile with steady reviews, Local Services Ads, focused Google Ads, a website built for calls and fast follow up on every lead.
How much do plumbers pay per click in Canada?
In our October 2026 data, plumber near me averaged about US$16 per click and emergency plumber about US$27.
Are Local Services Ads worth it for trades?
For many trades yes, because you pay per lead rather than per click and appear at the top of the results.
What replaced Google Guaranteed?
In October 2025 Google replaced the Google Guaranteed and Google Screened badges with a single Google Verified badge.
How do I get more reviews for my trade business?
Ask every happy customer on the day the job is done, with a direct link, and reply to every review.
Should trades build service area pages?
Yes, with real local detail for each city you serve. Copy pasted pages with only the city name changed rarely rank.
How should trades handle seasonality?
Shift budgets ahead of each peak, publish seasonal content early and sell maintenance plans in slow months.
Why do trades lose leads?
Missed calls and slow follow up on quotes. Track unanswered calls and add after hours answering.
Should I show licences on my website?
Yes. Licences, insurance and warranties answer the trust question before the customer calls.
Do home service businesses need a CRM?
A field service CRM keeps quotes, follow ups, maintenance reminders and repeat business organized.
